Paul Schaafsma

Paul Schaafsma

Founder & Managing Director

Paul Schaafsma has enjoyed a career in the wine industry spanning over 20 years. His passion, enthusiasm and ability to innovate have ensured the success and relevance of the wine companies he has been associated with.

Under Paul’s leadership Accolade’s global revenue exceeded AUD$1billion driven by his team of 1700 employees working across Australia, New Zealand (NZ), UK, China, Japan, South East Asia, USA, Chile, Canada and South Africa.

Prior his appointment as CEO, Paul was General Manager of Accolade UK and Ireland, the largest wine company in that region.

During this time, he become one of the leading spokesmen for the Australian wine industry in the UK. This culminated in being awarded “Man of the Year” by Drinks Business magazine in 2015.

Before joining Accolade Wines, Paul was the entrepreneurial driving force behind McGuigan Wines in the UK. Relocating from Australia in 2005, Paul launched McGuigan from the basement of his home in Clapham. Taking it to a market leader in the UK and Ireland by 2012.

Born in Australia, Paul has extensive experience of the Australian domestic market as well as the UK, Europe, Asia and the Sub Continent.

I’ll be honest with you, creating my own wine range is probably better than scoring a hundred at Lords

Sir Ian Botham

New Zealand wine has become a $1.7 billion global success story because our producers have always had innovation at the forefront of their thinking. This new collaboration between Invivo and Sarah Jessica Parker is yet another example of a Kiwi winery thinking outside of the box; it is an indicator of why New Zealand wines will be even more successful in the future.

Philip Gregan, CEO New Zealand Wine Growers

Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc has proved widley successful, and is currently the fastest growing New Zealand wine brand in the UK.